GBRI CHAPTER 5: INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS
in meeting your personal and professional
Ethics - can be defined broadly as a set of moral
principles or values that govern the actions and
decisions of an individual or group.
Examples of prescribed sets of moral principles:
a. Laws and regulations
b. Church doctrine
c. Code of business ethics for professional groups such
as CPAs
d. Codes of conduct within individual organizations
CHARACTERISTICS AND VALUES ASSOCIATED WITH
ETHICAL BEHAVIOR
Integrity - be principled, honorable, upright, courageous
and act on convictions; do not be two-faced or
unscrupulous, or adopt an end-justifies-the means
philosophy that ignores principle.
Honesty - be truthful, sincere, forthright,
straightforward, frank, candid; do not cheat, steal, lie,
deceive or act deviously.
Trustworthiness and Promise Keeping - be worthy of
trust, keep promises, full commitments, abide by the
spirit as well as the letter of an agreement;
 do not interpret agreements in an
unreasonably technical or legalistic manner in
order to rationalize noncompliance or create
excuses and justification for breaking
commitments.
Loyalty (Fidelity) and Confidentiality - be faithful and
loyal to family, friends, employers, client, and country;
 Do not use or disclose information learned in
confidence; in a professional context,
safeguard the influences and conflicts of
interest.
Fairness and Openness - be fair and open-minded, be
willing to admit error and, where appropriate, change
positions and beliefs, demonstrate a commitment to
justice, the equal treatment of individuals, and
tolerance for acceptance of diversity.
 Do not overreach or take advantage of
another’s mistakes or diversities.
Caring for others - be caring, kind, and compassionate;
share, be giving, be of service to others; help those in
need and avoid harming others.
Respect for others - demonstrate respect for human
dignity, privacy, and the right to self-determination of
all people; be courteous, prompt, and decent;
 provide others with the information they need
to make informed decisions about their own
lives; do not patronize, embarrass, or demean.
Responsible Citizenship - obey just laws; if all law
unjust, openly protest it; exercise all democratic rights
and privileged responsibly by participation.
Pursuit of excellence - pursue excellence in all matters;
responsibilities, be diligent, reliable, industrious and
committed.
Accountability - be accountable, accept responsibility
for decisions, for the foreseeable consequences of
actions and inactions, and for setting an example of
others.
WHY IS ETHICAL BEHAVIOR NECESSARY
 Ethical behavior is necessary for a society to
function in an orderly manner. It can be argued
that ethics is the glue that holds a society together.
WHY DO PEOPLE ACT UNETHICALLY
Unethical behavior - conduct that differs from the way
they believe would have been appropriate given the
circumstances.
Two primary reasons why people act unethically:
1. The person’s ethical standards are different from
those of society as a whole
2. The person chooses to act selfishly
Professional Ethics include among others:
1. Integrity impartiality, objectivity
2. Professional competence
3. Confidentiality
4. Professional behavior
5. Avoidance of potential or apparent conflict of interest
Business Ethics include among others:
1. Fair competition
2. Global as well as domestic justice
3. Social responsibility
4. Concern for environment
Characteristics of recognized professions:
1. Responsibility to serve the public
2. A complex body of knowledge
3. Standards of admission to the profession
4. A need for public confidence
Code of Good Governance for the profession in the
Philippines (E.O. No. 220, June 23, 2003) - adopted by
the professional regulation commission (PRC) and the
42 professional regulatory boards.
General Principle of Professional conduct -
professionals are required not only to have an ethical
commitment, a personal resolve to act ethically, but
also have both ethical awareness and ethical
competency.
Ethical awareness - refers to the ability to discern
between right and wrong.
Ethical competency - pertains to the ability to engage in
sound moral reasoning and consider carefully the
implications of alternative actions.

SPECIFIC PRINCIPLE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

1. Service to others - they protect life, property, and

public welfare. To serve others, they shall be prepared
for heroic sacrifice and genuine selflessness in
carrying out their professional duties at the expense of
personal gain.

2. Integrity and objectivity - in the performance of any

professional service, they shall at all times, main
objectivity, be free of conflicts of interest, and refrain
from engaging in any activity that would prejudice their
ability to carry out their duties ethically.

3. Professional competence - in providing professional

sevices, a certain level of competence is necessary.
 It is their express obligation to keep up with
new knowledge and techniques.

4. Solidarity and Teamwork - each profession shall

nurture and support one organization for all its
members.
 Put the broader interest of the profession
above one’s personal ambition and preference.

5. Social and Civic Responsibility - shall always carry

out their duties with due consideration of the broader
interest of the public.
 They shall actively contribute to the
attainment of the country’s national objectives.

6. Global competitiveness - shall remain open to

challenges of a more dynamic interconnected world.
 Rise up to global standards and maintain
levels of professional practices fully aligned
with global best practices.

7. Equality of all professions - all professionals shall

treat their colleagues with respect and shall strive to
be fair in ther dealings with one another.